For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
Parallel translations
- WEB For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.
- BSB For in You I can charge an army, and with my God I can scale a wall.
- NKJV For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall.
- NASB For by You I can run at a troop of warriors; And by my God I can leap over a wall.
- NLT In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
By God's strength David can charge a troop and leap over a wall. It matters because God empowers his people to overcome obstacles beyond their natural ability.
Overview
David credits God with enabling him to run against a hostile band and scale a defensive wall. His victories come not from his own power but from God working in and through him. This dependence on divine strength anticipates the believer's ability to overcome through Christ who strengthens them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- 2 Sam 22:30For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
- Eph 6:10–13Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
- 2 Cor 12:9–10And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
- Rev 3:21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
- Col 2:15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
- 1 Cor 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
- Ps 44:6–7For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
- Ps 144:10It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
- Ps 144:1Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
- 2 Sam 5:19–20And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
- 1 Sam 23:2Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
- 2 Sam 5:25And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
- 1 Sam 17:49And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
- 1 Sam 30:8And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 18:29 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.